Sunday, April 3, 2016

Couples Exploring Non-Monogamy: Guidelines for Therapists

A population that is
potentially challenging for couple and family therapists to work with is that
of couples who want to explore non-monogamy. For many therapists, non-monogamy
challenges personal values and beliefs, and there is little in the literature
to support therapists in achieving cultural competency in this area. B

Based on a
review of Western clinical literature over the past 20 years, and on the
author's clinical experience, the author provides therapists with guidelines to
use with couples who want to explore the possibility of becoming
non-monogamous.

The guidelines include:

Educate oneself about non-monogamy,

Identify one's own values and beliefs related to non-monogamy,

Work with
the couple's definition of non-monogamy,

Be aware that partners may have
varying concerns about non-monogamy,

Address infidelity if present,

Avoid
assumptions about the ways non-monogamy will impact the relationship; and